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A Cheat Sheet to Yoga Teacher Training Costs (and affordable YTTs)

Have you ever noticed that yoga teacher training costs have gotten a little bit wacky in some corners of the world?

You can find some YTT courses for just a couple hundred bucks and others upwards of $5,000, making the price range wildly unpredictable in many cases. (Not to mention totally unaffordable, too.)

But why is there so much variety in the prices? And are we really supposed to pay that much?

Luckily, it’s not as convoluted as it seems. The costs of a yoga teacher training program can generally be broken down into several categories.

And by better understanding where the value of a program lies, you can find a program that fits you (and your budget) best.

After all, this is a life-changing experience that you’re investing in.

You will be pushing the boundaries, exploring your personal practice as you expand your yogic knowledge.

You will learn how to apply the yoga philosophy to every facet of your life, making this so much more than just a yoga retreat. (Although it is that, too)

When all of this is at stake, you want to be sure that you are making the best decision possible, right?

Right.

How to Become a Yoga Instructor (the affordable way)

Okay, so let’s answer the question once and for all: What is with those yoga teacher training costs?

Are they really worth a couple thousand dollars?

Before you throw down your non-refundable deposit, take a little bit of time to really understand where your yoga teacher training costs are coming from.

One of the first steps in figuring out how much a YTT is worth is to evaluate why you are getting your teaching certification to begin with.

There are lots of reasons that students want to get their yoga instructor certification other than to teach yoga. (You may even be one of those students!)

In fact, many certified yoga teachers don’t even teach yoga at all!

Instead, they seek yoga certification programs so that they can

deepen their yoga practice

properly learn all of the yoga postures and poses

study ancient text like the Bhagavad Gita or Yoga Sutras

to be able to construct their own personalized classes

to learn how to incorporate the yoga philosophy into daily life

to meet a group of like-minded people

Once you are clear on the purpose of your yoga certification program, you can more easily set the value on your life-changing experience.

While there are many things that contribute to the costs of a certification program, these five areas cover the basics:

1. Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Schools

Yoga schools registered with the Yoga Alliance are both the cheaper option and the more expensive option.

Compared to certain schools of thought and yoga schools, such as Bikram yoga, a Yoga Alliance certification program will be about half the cost of any Bikram teacher training program.

However, a Yoga Alliance registered yoga school will have slightly higher teacher training prices compared to other in-house certification programs for several reasons.

First, the Yoga Alliance oversees teacher training program that are a bit hefty in nature, such as the 200-hour and 500-hour courses. Because these are intensive in nature, oftentimes lasting a month or more, they will have higher prices.

This usually includes accommodations and meals, so it all balances, right?

Another reason why Yoga Alliance programs are more expensive is because of the security of being a part of a reputable membership such as Yoga Alliance.

Their standards are at a certain standard in accordance with the Yoga Alliance, so you can be assured that you are getting a quality training.

(And not ripped off.)

A Yoga Alliance YTT program will typically involve an in-depth study of yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology, meditation, teaching methodologies, and yoga poses. You will likely have assigned reading from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or the Bhagavad Gita.

If you’re getting your yoga certification for the purpose of teaching, then becoming an RYT with the Yoga Alliance is a pretty good investment.

2. Reputation of the Yoga School

There are some yoga schools that are world-famous in yogi world.

You know the kind.

Their daily yoga classes are jam-packed, making an otherwise normal-looking yoga studio feel like a massive sauna.

They’re located in places like Costa Rica, Bali, Thailand, or some other faraway place where dreams come true.

Some of Instagram’s most famous yoga teachers are hopping into these popular yoga studios to lead exotic yoga retreats in a picture-worthy destination. #yogaeverydamnday amiright?

Well, those beautiful gems of yoga studios and yoga schools will likely fill up fast and come with a high price tag.

If you can swing it, though, it will probably be worth every penny.

And if not?

Those other yoga studios will also be incredible and worth every penny, just a lot fewer of them.

The most affordable YTT courses will without a doubt be in India, where you can learn from certified yoga instructors right in the heart of it all. Develop your personal practice with the guidance of an original RYT and become a registered yoga teacher from the birthplace of yoga.

Oftentimes, for less than $1,000.

Costa Rica, on the other hand, is one of the pricier destinations of all. While you can definitely find some affordable YTT programs in Costa Rica, you will have to first sift through the ultra-luxury, ultra westernized packages.

(Which are amazingly rejuvenating if you can swing it.)

I’ll cover budget-friendly destinations a little later on in this blog post.

5. Style of Yoga

There are certain yoga styles that are on the high end for prices, such as Jivamukti yoga and Corepower Yoga.

Others, however, will be fairly affordable, like AcroYoga and yoga nidra programs. (They are usually shorter in duration too.)

You will be able to find affordable certification programs that are based in hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga. These two yoga styles are versatile and serve as a foundation to most other yoga styles.

This opens up the market to a lot of yoga schools, which brings down prices.

How Much Does A Yoga Teacher Training Cost?

The price of your yoga teacher training program will depend on all of the factors listed above. The type of training, the location, the yoga teacher, and the yoga school will all play a factor in the final price.

So, an all-inclusive resort with a world-famous yoga teacher will cost big bucks.

And that local yoga studio around the corner from your favorite grocery store? Significantly less.

Here is a general breakdown of the price range for yoga teacher training courses:

Low Range: $200 – $999

This price range is usually for specialized training courses that don’t necessarily lead to a teaching certification. They are perfect for those who are on a budget, trying to stay local, or are simply passing through a place that happens to have a cool training (like this SUP teacher training).

Mid-Range $1000 – $2999

A yoga teacher training registered with the Yoga Alliance will likely fall into this price range if it is local or based in a super cheap location, like India. In fact, any YTT course that is in this price range is a bargain and totally doable in India, Mexico, Nepal or the United States.

High-Range: $3000 and up

You’ll often see this price range in exotic places, where world-renowned yoga teachers flock to for their personalized yoga teacher training programs. Many of them will include luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, and a fun group of people from all over the world. You’ll likely see these prices in Bali, Thailand, Europe …

…or your over-priced neighborhood yoga studio.

Top Affordable Yoga Teacher Training Destinations

There are plenty of budget-friendly teacher training courses out there that don’t sacrifice quality just for the low price.

That’s because the location plays a major role in price-setting for many yoga centers.

In fact, some of the most revered teacher training courses in the entire world are also some of the most affordable (looking at you, India).

The important thing is that you receive quality in-depth studies of yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology, teaching methodology, pranayama, meditation, asanas and ancient texts. (and that you are supported by like-minded people)

The rest is just fluff.

If you’re looking for the top destinations for affordable yoga teacher training courses, then read on yogi friend.

While India doesn’t offer much by way of glamor, you certainly get a comprehensive and authentic YTT experience.

Rishikesh is one of the most popular destinations in the world for yoga teacher training and is home of one of the most popular yoga schools in the world, Rishikesh Yoga Peeth.

Yoga in Rishikesh is like sunshine in Bali. You will find yoga offered all throughout the village and yoga ashram tucked away in the surrounding Himalayas.

You will find a wide variety of yoga styles being practiced, from vinyasa flow yoga to traditional hatha yoga.

Aside from Rishikesh yoga, you will also find yourself completely immersed in the yogic lifestyle, from the study of Ayurveda to daily meditation. The Ganges River is perhaps the most incredible of all, sending healing water through the village to promote spiritual and physical well-being.

Outside of Rishikesh are many more cities and villages that offer Yoga Alliance certification programs. The tropical beaches of Goa are popular among yogi students seeking warmer weather (and total relaxation).